I do think that maybe, even subconsciously, a lot of parents in the West are wondering, have we gone too far in the direction of coddling and protecting - you know, you see kids, sometimes that seem very rude and disrespectful. And the more important thing is they don't seem that happy.

Both of my girls have very high self-esteem because they were both able to master certain things; I should think that's good for their confidence.

Do you know what a foreign accent is? It's a sign of bravery.

What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you're good at it. pg 29

The Romans thought of themselves as the chosen people, yet they built the greatest army on Earth by recruiting warriors from any background.

The fact is that Chinese parents can do things that would seem unimaginable-even legally actionable-to Westerners. Chinese mothers can say to their daughters, "Hey fatty-lose some weight." By contrast, Western parents have to tiptoe around the issue, talking in terms of "health" and never ever mentioning the f-word, and their kids still end up in therapy for eating disorders and negative self image.

Everything I do as a mother builds on a foundation of love and compassion.